How do you get started writing articles and having them published?

I am interested in hearing from those of you who have written fitness and health articles that have been published. Please give me some examples of how to get started. I have a few ideas I'd like to explore. Thanks!

Christine,
I lucked into published writing by writing a letter to the editor of a fitness magazine. Not only did he publish my letter (challenging an article they had published), but he asked me to write for the magazine and bought several pieces.
Most magazines require you to "query" them with an idea. The publishing industry has the Catch 22 of often requiring writers to submit published work before it will consider publishing you. You can get around this by writing for a local newspaper (they often will not pay, but will publish good up to date fitness articles) and/or by writing a blog. Then you will have samples of your work to offer an editor.
I would advise you to check and double check anything you submit. Typos and bad grammar will knock you right off an editors list.

I've gotten all of my fitness publications / assignments by answering questions in forums such as this one.

Sometimes it's from a single post; I had an idea, or an opinion, that helped flesh out a piece they were writing and they asked me for content.

In another situation, it was by content I'd posted on a forum for a fitness format I teach. It was a history of many posts and the way I discussed a subject matter that gave me a credible and consistent online personality. The job wasn't published, and I wasn't looking for it. But people knew who I was and what I was about based on my online personality. That led to an AMAZING job, which I'm still doing.

So for me, it was about being at the right place at the right time, but also I had established myself as the right person.